Driving mechanism for self-propelled vehicles.



No. 633,687. Patented Sept. 26, I899.

'J. CRAIG, In. DRIVING MECHANISM FDR SELF PBDPELLED VEHICLES.

(Application Med May 27, 1899.) (No ModeI.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

ATTORN EY No. 633,687. Patented Sept 26, I899. J. came, in.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SELF- PRUPELLED VEHICLES.

(Application'flled May 27, 1899.)

(Hu'ModeL) 2 Sheets-Shunt 2 1 iwil- W ATTORNEY m 21-: 5 ca. Pumouma. WASNINQT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR 8 ELF-PROPELLED VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,687, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed May 27,1899. Serial No 718,572. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CRAIG, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Self-Propelled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to driving mechanism for self-propelled cars or other vehicles, and has for its object to provide a means whereby the driving-wheels of the vehicle may be conveniently thrown into or out of operative engagement with the driving-motor and whereby the speed of the driving-wheels relative to that of the motor may be conveniently changed by the operator or motorman, either while the vehicle is at rest or in motion, and it is especially adapted for that type of motor in which there is a reciprocating piston and connecting-rod, such as in the usual form of compressed air and gas motors.

My invention consists in providing a suit= able frame or casing for the motor and motor mechanism, in which is mounted one or more gears adapted to be actuated by the motor, the said frame or casing being provided with eccentric bearings in which is journaled the driving-axle of the vehicle, and in providing a means for rotating said eccentric bearings in said frame or casing, whereby the drivingaXle and the motor-casing move relatively to each other, thereby permitting one or the other of the gears mounted in the casing or frame to be thrown into or out of operative engagement with the gear on the driving-axle of the vehicle without the use of clutches. These gears may be arranged to give differ- 'ent speeds to or reverse the direction of the vehicle.

My invention consists, further, in the general arrangement of the parts, whereby the entire mechanism of the motor is compact in form and is conveniently inclosed within a casing, thereby rendering it less liable to injury from dirt and exposure and decreasing the noise incident to the operation of the mechanism.

If in this class of motors some accident happens to the motor mechanism, it is very desirable to have the motor thrown out of gear and remain entirely inactive while the vehicle is being brought home or to a place of repair. It is also desirable in coasting downgrade to have the motor thrown out of gear. Again, where compressed air or gas is used it is desirable to partly compensate for the varying amount of power required of the motor due to the varying conditions of the road and load and to have a means for changing the velocity ratio between the motor and the driving-wheels of the vehicle. My invention enables me to accomplish these desirable ends in a simple and effective manner, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 shows a section on line a; 00 of Fig. 4, in which the motor is geared to its highest speed. shows asimilar section with the motor thrown out of engagement with the driving-axle. Fig. 3 is a similar section with the motor geared to its lowest speed. Fig. 4 shows a plan view with the casing-cover removed.

Fig. 5 shows a vertical section on the line y y Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the eccentric bearing and lever-arm.

In the embodiment of my invention illus' trated in the drawings, Arepresents the casing in which the motor mechanism and the driving-gear of the vehicle are inclosed and supported.

B B represent cylinders, the particular form of motor represented in the drawings being for the use of compressed air.

0 0 represent the driving-wheels of the vehicle.

1 represents the driving-axle, to which the driving-wheels O O are rigidly secured.

2 2 represent the eccentric bearings,in which the driving-axle 1 is journaled, said eccentric bearings being fitted into the recesses 3 3 in the casing.

a i are lever-arms attached to the eccentric bearings 2 2 and connected at their lower ends with the bar 5, which is connected to the operating-lever 7 by means of link 6.

8 is the crank-shaft of the motor, to which is rigidly secured the driving-pinion 9.

10 is an intermediate gear mounted on the shaft 19, which is in engagement at all times with the pinion 9 and also with thegear 11, which latter is rigidly secured to the shaft 12.

13 is a pinion, also rigidlyfixed to the shaft Fig. 2

ICO

' 2, and is adapted to engage the gearwheel 1-l when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 8, the gear 1 1 being rigidly secured to the driving-axle 1.

15 is a projecting arm secured to the casing A and is adapted to engage the guide 16 for the purpose of preventing the motor from turning about the axle 1. The guide 16 may be secured to the body of the vehicle or car or to the truck.

17 is a cap adapted to be secured in any convenient way to the main body of the casing A.

18 is a cylindrical holein the eccentric bearing 2, the axis of which is eccentric to the exterior cylindrical surface of the bearing 2.

20 20 are the side walls of the motor frame or casing, in which are provided cylindrical recesses 3 3 for the eccentric bearings.

21 21 are the intermediate walls of the motor-frame, forming a support and bearings for the shafts 8, 12, and 1!).

It is evident that when the lever 7, which may be fulcrumed in any convenient place on the truck or body of the vehicle convenient for the operator, is operated it will cause the eccentric bearing to rotate about the drivingaxle 1 and its axis to describe an are about the center of the axle, and thereby cause the entire motor, with the gears mounted therein, to move relative to the axle.

hen the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 1, the lever 7 is thrown fully forward and the gear 14 is brought into engagement with the pinion 9 in position for driving the vehicle at the faster speed. lVhen, however, the operating-lever 7 is brought to the position shown in Fig. 2, the motor-pinion 9 is moved away from the driving-gear 14 and the motor-gears are entirely disengaged from the driving-axle of the vehicle. If, lastly, the operating-lever is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, the driving-gear 14 will be thrown into engagement with the pinion 13, thereby driving the vehicle at the slower speed. I am thus enabled by the operation of the hand-lever7 to connect the motor for the higher speed, to disconnect it entirely, or to connect it with the lower speed without the use of clutches of any description. It is also seen that by this arrangement I am enabled to inclose the entire motor mechanism and driving-gear in a case which will effectually exclude dust and dirt and diminish the noise due to the gearing and other mechanism.

It will also be noticed that by the arrangement' of the side walls 20 20 and the intermediate walls 21 21, together with the particular arrangement of .the gear, I obtain a frame of exceedingly rigid construction, well adapted to support the parts and to resist the severe strainsincident to this class of machinery. At the same time all the mechanism of the motor and the driving-gear is made aecessible by simply removing the cap 17.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a driving mechanism for self-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe, of a motor-shaft journaled in said motor-frame, a drivingaxle also journaled in said motor-frame, gears mounted on said motor-shaft and said driving-axle, and means for moving said motor-frame relative to said driving-axle, whereby said gears may be thrown into and out of engagement.

2. In a driving mechanism for self-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe, of a bearing mounted in said motorframe adapted to receive the driving-axle,and means for-rotating said bearingin said motorframe about an axis eccentric to the axis of the driving-axle.

8. In a driving mechanism forself-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe and motor-shaft mounted therein, of a gear mounted on said motor-shaft, a second gear also mounted in the motor-frame in the same plane with said first-named gear, said second gear being geared to the motor-shaft to operate in the same direction of rotation as said first-named gear, a gear fixed to the driving-axle of the vehicle, means for moving the motor-frame relative to the driving axle, whereby the said gear and said driving-axle may be engaged and disengaged at will with either of the said named gears in said motorframe.

4. In a driving mechanism forself-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe, or casing, and motor shaft mounted therein, of a gear mounted on said motorshaft, a bearing having a cylindrical exterior surface and cylindrical hole adapted to receive the driving-axle of the vehicle eccentric to said exterior cylindrical surface mounted in the motor-frame, or casing, a driving-axle adapted to operate in said bearing, a gear mounted on said driving-axle, and means for rotating said bearing.

5. In a driving mechanism for self-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe, or casing, and motor-shaft mounted therein, of a gear mounted on said motorshaft, a second shaft journaled in said motorframe bearing gears of different diameters, one of which gears is driven from the motorshaft, a driving-axle and eccentric bearing therefor, mounted in the motor-frame, a gear mounted on said driving-axle in the plane of one of the gears on said second shaft and the gear on said motor-shaft, and means for rotating said eccentric bearing, whereby the gear on the driving-axle may be engaged at will with either the gear on the motor-shaft or that on the second shaft.

6. In a driving mechanism for self-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe and motor-shaft mounted therein, of a gear mounted on said motor-shaft, a drivingaxle, a gear mounted on said driving-axle, an eccentric bearing for said driving-axle mounted in said motor-frame,a double gear mounted in said motor-frame, an intermediate gear operatively connecting said motor-shaft and said double gear, and means for engaging the gear on said driving-axle at will with the gear on said driving-shaft and said double gear.

7. In a driving mechanism forself-propelled vehicles, the combination with the motorframe, and motor-shaft mounted therein, of a gear mounted on said motor-shaft, a drivingaXle, a gear mounted on said driving-axle, an eccentric bearingforsaid driving-axlemiounted in said motor-frame,a double gear mounted in said motor-frame, means for operatively connecting said motor-shaft and said double gear, and means for engaging the gear on said driving-axle at will with the gear on said drivingshaft and said double gear. 

